title: Spontaneous recurrent seizures in rats: an experimental model of partial epilepsy.
abstract: Seizures induced by pilocarpine (PILO) have proven to be a useful procedure for investigating the basic mechanisms essential for generation, spread and motor expression of seizures in rodents. Here we report the long-term effects of PILO in rats. Following PILO (380 mg/kg, IP), 3 distinct phases were observed: 1) an acute period which lasted 1-2 days which corresponds to the pattern of repetitive seizures and status epilepticus; 2) a silent period (4-44 days) characterized by a progressive return to normal EEG and behavior; and 3) a period of recurrent seizures which started 5-45 days after PILO and lasted up to 120 days. These seizures lasted up to 50-60 sec, recurred 2-3 times per week and were more frequent during the light period of the light-dark cycle. These serial events offer a new method to induce spontaneous recurrent seizures in rats.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurologia Experimental, Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Z A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Bortolotto
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Cavalheiro
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008032:Limbic System / Q000502:physiology; D019832:N-Methylscopolamine; D010276:Parasympatholytics / Q000494:pharmacology; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012008:Recurrence; D012602:Scopolamine Derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D010276:Parasympatholytics; D012602:Scopolamine Derivatives; D010862:Pilocarpine; D019832:N-Methylscopolamine